Holding Hearts
by Tranquilized-Night
Summary: AR: Whether it’s wrong or right, Naruto didn’t really care so why should Minato? Holding onto the one thing you love more than life wouldn’t be so hard if that one thing wasn’t his son. Minato/Naruto -Yaoi-
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto. If I had the rights I would have everyone scarred for life.

Title: Holding Hearts

Rating: T-M

Pairing: Minato/Naruto

Summary: Whether it's wrong or right, Naruto didn't really care so why should Minato? Holding onto the one thing you love more than life wouldn't be so hard if that one thing wasn't his son.

**Warnings: **Yaoi: Male/Male pairing, **INCEST**, underage sex, very mild violence if at all, drama, set in shinobi world but the story line is completely off base. Itachi is innocent and in Konoha.

_**Note about what you're getting into: **_I have always wanted to write a proper romance story featuring Minato and Naruto. I'm aware of what I'm writing, I'm aware that they are father and son. But they are also fictional Manga characters and I could care less about what is right or what is wrong. You have been warned.

_**Chapter One**_

For what seemed like hours, matching sapphire blue eyes stared at one another. One pair was younger, full of life and slightly innocent and the other was matured, full of life, and not so innocent considering his age.

Their hair was almost identical, sunny blond hair that was rare amongst the villagers. The younger male sported a long ponytail with wild ear-tails hanging down the sides to shape his face perfectly.

The other older male had the same blond hair but it was more wild and wasn't as lengthy in the back, but they both shared the same ear-tails except for his looked like sharp ends touching his well aged jaw line.

Sixteen versus thirty-eight.

The thirty-eight-year-old brought his palm up to his chin and pressed his elbow to the mahogany table and continued to stare into the sixteen-year-old's adorable eyes, neither intending on letting the other win the contest of staring. The thirty-eight-year-old looked hardly older than a day over thirty and that was saying something considering he was the Yondaime of Konohagakure; Namikaze Minato quirked a lip upwards into a partial smile.

His son, Namikaze Naruto raised his fair colored thin eyebrows. Where Minato was lighter in skin tone, Naruto had a warm glowing natural tan. They had the same aquiline shaped nose but where Minato had a slightly more masculine jaw line, Naruto had developed his late mother's line.

"We going to do this all day? I mean, I can really," Minato's timber tone carried a playful air that his son matched with the only difference was maturity. "You're adorable enough to stare at, those whiskers help; I think I've deduced the length of each one."

"Say yes," Naruto rebutted softly.

"Why?"

"Uhm, cause you love me?"

Minato's partial smile became wider. "That I do, but why do I have to say yes to show I love you?"

Naruto hummed. "So you can see your only son happy, also I'm coming to you directly instead of going behind your back. That should count for something."

Minato chuckled light-heartedly and removed his hand from his chin and gripped Naruto's with his index finger and thumb. "You're telling me the full truth?"

Naruto nodded. "I've never lied."

"True, but you have left out a lot of information," Minato reminded.

"It's better than no information at all! I can't always remember the details, you know."

"I think it's more that you are a manipulative little Gaki and Jiraiya-sensei is a very bad influence on you."

Naruto scoffed. "He's not a bad influence, if he was, I'd be straight as an arrow."

Minato cocked his head to the side observing the teenager for what he was. Never in a million years, did Minato ever think that he would come out of the Kyuubi Sealing alive and he thanked the former Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen for the chance to live on with his son. He was a beautiful sunny blond Gaki that meant more to him than even the village.

"Jiraiya-sensei is not exactly one way, you know."

"Oh, don't I know it," Naruto said still not moving his eyes from his father's. He rather enjoyed staring into the depths of them; they were captivating and told so much without words. It was often rare to find Minato without a smile on his face, even through tough situations. "Can I?"

Minato pursed his lips together, he wanted to say no, really he did but the look in his son's eyes were pleading and the boy was right, he had come to him in honesty, most would hide it and come up with a false tale.

"I don't like it, Naruto."

"More like, you don't like him," Naruto reminded.

Minato chuckled. "I didn't say that," he said and it was then that the Hokage looked away breaking eye contact and blinked repeatedly trying to get some liquid flowing back through.

Naruto only had to blink once and he was fine. "But your tone, the way you hesitate..."

"I'm only concerned."

"Is that truly it, Minato?" Naruto asked.

For the last two years, Naruto had been calling him by his first name and for some reason that Minato couldn't fathom, he didn't seem to mind it. In fact, he liked the way Naruto said his given name, the innocent flare and the soft tenor.

It had never been a secret; Minato and Naruto were best friends and more than father and son. Minato never treated him like a baby after he turned twelve and he always gave Naruto a choice in his own life and path that he chose but sometimes, Minato would step in when he thought it was going too far.

Like now.

"Hmm, yes, it's about it."

"About." Naruto deadpanned.

"Don't give me that look," Minato placed his hands on each side of Naruto's cheeks. "I'm not entirely thrilled with this idea. He's too old for you."

Naruto choked. "Old?" he asked wide eyed. "_Old?_" he repeated and got a nod for his efforts. The teen snorted and drew away from his father. "Absolutely unbelievable, Minato. Who'd have thought you would discriminate against age."

Minato floundered at Naruto's words. It wasn't often that Naruto set him in place and this was one of those times. "Naruto… I…"

"Out with it, if he's so old who the hell is young enough? You really want me to see someone like Kiba? Truly, I love him to death as a friend but I'm not a dog fan and Shino? I hate bugs!"

Minato chortled in shame and brought his hands to his face tiredly. "Oh, Naruto, go on and get out of here, be careful and come back to me," he suddenly said as he looked away from the teen in hopes that Naruto would take the hint and get on with it before he changed his mind.

Naruto stood stock still for a moment, unable to figure out what was on Minato's mind. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared hard at the man who continued to look away.

"Unbelievable," Naruto whispered.

Minato grimaced and shot a look at his son. "What is?"

"You are."

"Why am I unbelievable?" Minato asked.

"You're hiding something from me," Naruto deduced.

"I'm not hiding anything from you, my Naruto, why would I do that?"

"I don't know," Naruto said dropping his hands to his side and leaning in close to his father until they were almost nose and nose.

Minato smiled slightly at the gesture, knowing Naruto would start digging long and hard but he was sure that for once the mischievous sixteen-year-old would come up short.

"I'll figure you out, Minato."

Minato arched an eyebrow. "Is that a threat, my Naruto?" he asked unconsciously taking in the scent of lavender and freesia from his son's hair and skin.

"Never," Naruto murmured, "it's a promise," and it was with those words that Naruto's soft supple lips pressed to Minato's in a chaste kiss.

For a moment, Minato was absolutely rocked in the mind but as Naruto left his lips, he disappeared using the crow Jutsu that the Uchiha's had taught him.

Minato remained where he sat, daring to not move an inch.

"Did he just kiss me?" Minato asked aloud to the air and he was glad that no one was around to hear that question. It was during the sanctuary of the silence that Namikaze Minato's cheeks heated up and his heart clenched.

Naruto had absolutely no idea that with that simple innocent gesture, he had gotten his answer as to why he hated it whenever Naruto ran off to meet up with _him_.

Too old, what a lame ass excuse, Minato thought sagging back into his seat and staring at his half glass of sake.

How twisted was he?

-/-/-/-

Naruto dropped down onto the soft spring grass and stretched out, his eyes going straight to the white fluffy clouds.

"He thinks you want me, eh?" Kakashi asked with an air of amusement.

Naruto hummed for a second and then, "I kissed him."

"And ran?" Kakashi deduced.

"Yup."

"I wonder what he thinks we're going to do, me defile you."

Naruto chuckled. "According to him, you're old."

Kakashi scoffed. "Old? Me?"

"Uh huh, you're a regular gramps! The silver-hair in place and all."

"Least I'm not in love with my father," Kakashi teased.

"Hm, I'm a little fucked up aren't I?"

"Only a little, there's worse."

"How?" Naruto asked. "Can it possibly get worse, I mean, I'm sixteen perhaps I'll grow out of it?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's all up to you, Naruto-kun. I don't see anything wrong with it, but then again this is me you're talking to."

"Mhmm."

"No one else should matter though, if you want something and wait around then it'll disappear and you're left screwed."

"You've been screwed plenty of times, huh?"

"More than I can count, in more ways than one."

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes on the shaping clouds. "Fact is, I'm obsessed with him and I can't get it to go away, no matter what I do. I don't see him as my father."

"What do you see?"

"I see," he paused a second and pictured Minato behind his eyelids, "a beautiful, kind-hearted man who is the protector of the village. I see someone that I desire above all else, I see someone that I can't love more than I already do, and I see his eyes, the way they sharpen whenever I leave the room, the way they lock on me and cage me in. But it's a nice cage, one I don't want to escape from. I see a man, who is not my father but someone who is my best friend. My heart pounds, my body trembles, and I – I fall."

Kakashi whistled. "I don't think it's something that will go away when you describe it like that."

"Yeah," Naruto's voice cracked and he felt an excruciating desire to cry or scream out in frustrations.

"So you know, Naruto-kun, what you are feeling is not as uncommon as you think. It's not hard to fall in love with someone so close, someone you already love unconditionally, it just grows differently and becomes out of control at times. I haven't experienced it but I know plenty who have."

"He would never feel like that about me, I'm his son," Naruto said bitterly.

He wasn't upset about Minato being his father but he was upset because of his own feelings, the want, the need, and desire that ran rampant through his body.

At first he had chalked it up to nothing but teenage hormones but then it became worse to the point of aggravation and long nights in a freezing cold shower. But his thoughts went further than sexual, they became set in stone, the hate whenever he saw a woman in the tower stare longingly at their Yondaime, the way they watched him walk and move, handed him the papers and touched his hand as they did.

Naruto found that his jealousy became so potent that his appearances in the Hokage tower had to be minimized to keep from using his Rasengan against an annoying wench hell bent on bedding Minato.

The only thing that had relieved Naruto of all of his coveted thoughts was the fact that Minato never returned those affections or advances.

"You never know," Kakashi said, "unless you try."

"And fail to the point of a nasty bleeding shatter of my heart."

"That too," Kakashi agreed wincing appropriately.

It went quiet and Naruto concentrated on the wind that blew over his body, ruffling his hair so that it blew into his face.

Kakashi rolled over onto his side and gently pulled the pieces away and behind his ear. "You'll figure it out. You're Naruto, you always figure things out."

Naruto chuckled and scooted closer into Kakashi's arms that squeezed him. "If he saw this…"

"He'd kill me," Kakashi supplied.

"Yup." Exhaling, Naruto kept his eyes closed and dozed off with Kakashi next to him. His thoughts having turned into dreams along the way.

"You're in a tough way kid," Kakashi said to the sleeping figure, "I wonder if I can help."

"Doubtful," Naruto mumbled sleepily. "But thanks. It means a lot."

By the time Naruto returned home, it was well after midnight. The teen was wide awake, having slept most of the afternoon away before deciding to go off for some quick dinner at Kakashi's place.

Minato was fast asleep, when Naruto came into the room and he winced, hoping not to be caught and grounded for his late hour. He shrugged off the light blue windbreaker and slipped it across the sofa before taking the winding staircase up to the floor. His father's door was cracked and all the lights were out.

He passed by and heard. "Naruto?"

Naruto winced again, his cheeks flushing a radiant shade of red as he stepped up to his father's door and poked his head into the darkened bedroom. It was made up of basic elegance, in the light of the day crème and pale gold accented it, easily matching Minato's personality, while Naruto was fonder of orange and black.

"Yeah, Minato?"

He heard a breath being drawn and with the Kyuubi in him, he could see Minato almost perfectly shifting on his side in the massive bed. "You're just getting in?" It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"Uh, yeah, I dozed off."

"Right," Minato said and Naruto heard the tightness in his voice.

Naruto tilted his head. "I'm not all that tired, so I'm going to grab a snack, is that okay?"

"Why are you asking?"

"It's after midnight."

"I noticed."

Naruto shuffled a bit further into the room and the silence was thick and rather uncomfortable. "Well, I'll go now. Good night."

He shut the door all the way and grimaced at the flare of pain that cropped up in his chest along with a tantamount of desire coursing through every element of his body. He shook his head and wound up staying up the rest of the night.

(o)

Minato sighed, feeling something sick deep inside as he sat up. His son having left the room, leaving him alone and to his uncontrollable thoughts. They were haunting and he was confused, he didn't know what to do with them. The air between them had been very disturbing; Minato had never felt so uncomfortable around Naruto before. At one time, Minato had thought it were impossible to ever be strained where Naruto was concerned, boy had he been wrong.

He touched his lips unconsciously before snapping his teeth together when he thought about his former student, Kakashi had always been his favorite but right now Minato felt anything but fondness for the silver-haired Sharingan wielder.

He shook this from his thoughts and decided not to dwell on what his son may have been doing to be coming in at midnight. He chucked the covers away and slipped out of the bed and out of his room. He could hear movement downstairs in the kitchen and moved across the dark wooden flooring, careful not to let them squeak under his weight. He brushed his hand along the railing. The Namikaze Manor was made up of elegant dark wood work and the staircases had balconies that allowed a person to look over and into the sitting rooms and kitchen respectably.

Minato paused when he reached the very end of the hall, there was another staircase that led to other floors but there was only need for two. Jiraiya and Tsunade were often in and out along with Naruto's friends from Wind and Rain countries. Minato leaned against the banister and watched as Naruto shuffled through the kitchen, with an unknown grace and elegance of his own.

From where he stood, he observed the teen, taking in everything that he was and trying to find something out of place, perhaps a mark that had been left on his Naruto but he found nothing from his view.

Naruto's height was that of five foot five, a reminisced of his mother's height and his shoulders modeled hers as well. Kushina and he had been good friends and when he asked her for the favor of an heir he had no idea that she would wind up dying a week after childbirth. Naruto's chakra inside of her body had weakened her drastically.

She was a normal person, no chakra whatsoever and the clash had been too much for her to handle.

He saw a lot of Kushina in Naruto but he also saw himself and this was where the problem arose.

Naruto was his son, his only son and so why was it that every time the teen left his sights, he became distressed and worried to the point of not being able to get any work done. He was always distracted, thinking and wondering where his Gaki was and if he was alright and he got incensed when he heard rumors of him and the Copy Ninja or him and the lazy Nara kid.

One rumor after another, Minato had learned to control his raging temper to keep it bottled up but now, Naruto was old enough to do things that Minato didn't want him to do. He hated the idea of anyone getting near Naruto and wanted to rip out the eyes of those who looked at him in anyway suggestively.

Just how messed up was he? Minato questioned inwardly. He shook his head and turned his back on Naruto and went back to his empty bed.

As he lay back down, he heard the steps being taken and the footsteps down the hall, they were quiet and careful. When he heard the door shut in the room next to him, Minato let out a deep sigh.

He was so unbelievably doomed.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Chapter Two**_

Minato spent the next two days working in his office to catch up on all the paperwork and declined his secretary's help whenever she offered. His mind was bundled up with his nerves and his sleep was becoming a little awkward.

He'd wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweats and grimacing as the dreams he collected were ones that were more than taboo. At times he couldn't even look at Naruto and he knew that he was hurting the teen with his sudden separation but until Minato could think straight, he decided that work was best for him at the moment.

"Yondaime-sama you look really tense." Yamanaka Ino, his newest secretary in the tower had come in with another stack of missives and from the color of the scrolls they were from the Demon Country and he knew that couldn't be good.

"I am fine, Yamanaka-san," he said aware that Ino was his son's age. He was also aware of her infatuation with Naruto's best friend, Sasuke and because Naruto was such deep friends with Sasuke it made the girl obscenely jealous but none more so than Naruto's Medic kunoichi team member. "Nothing that you need to worry over."

"Oh, well, the Demon Country sends some invoices," she said leaning across the desk a little too far with a purple top that was also a little too low for her. Kami! She was sixteen, didn't her mother ever teach her to dress properly? He thought wondering why he hadn't enforced a dress code. He then remembered why, he wanted each of his shinobi's and kunoichi's to have a sense of individuality and not like those from Kiri. What was she doing try to impress older men?

Then again, who was he to talk? He was having such wrong feelings for his own son. It seemed that this whole world was out to condemn him in some way, shape, or form.

"Yes, I gathered I'd be hearing from them soon, place them there, thanks." He still didn't look up but he could tell she was pouting a little bit as she nodded and walked out.

He watched as the door closed and breathed deeply as he hunched his shoulders slightly. What was he to do?

-\-\-\-\-

"I think I might have scared him off," Naruto whispered sulkily.

Team Seven was going through training courses and it was Sakura and Sasuke's turn. Naruto had completed his rather easily and was perched on top of a post with Kakashi leaning in close to him so that they wouldn't be overheard by a nosy Sakura who kept running by one time too many times.

Kakashi quirked his lip behind his mask. "Or, he felt something and is wigging out. A simple kiss wouldn't spook him unless he actually wanted it and perhaps more."

Naruto snorted. "Not likely," he said dangling a spearheaded shuriken by the loop end. He watched it swaying back and forth like a pendulum.

"You going to start B Missions soon?" Kakashi asked.

"I think so, I need something to take my mind off this shit and I think nearly dying might just do that. I want to get Jounin by next March or April."

"That requires a lot of work, Naruto-kun but we can do it," Kakashi assured.

"Perhaps some time away is what I need."

"Perhaps." But Kakashi didn't think it would help, but he wouldn't tell Naruto that.

That evening when Naruto arrived back home, it was to an empty house. Yep, he was sure he had freaked his father out. Sighing, Naruto thrust his belt off and tossed it to the couch lazily before climbing the steps; he needed a long and hot shower.

The steam poured out as Naruto stepped in, wincing slightly as his body was stung and blistered. He ignored it and sank down to the bottom of the tub and stretched his legs out so that they touched the drain. He let the heat restrict his breathing and relished it as he sank into the touch of hot needles. He closed his eyes and indulged in the sensation of being temporarily free of thoughts.

Naruto leaned against the tub and rested his head along the slope and he never noticed that he fell into a light doze.

Minato frowned, not something he was used to doing but his son had been in the shower for a very long time. He sat up in bed, having come home after giving in to his exhaustion. He had sensed Naruto walking up the path to the house and had allowed himself to smile sleepily as he thought about Naruto. He could hear the boy's soft sighs signaling his own exhaustion and then the shower turning on.

Two hours ago.

Getting up, Minato was wearing a t-shirt and loose fitting pajama bottoms. He stopped outside of the bathroom door and tapped upon. "Naruto?" he called in concern and felt his chest tighten when he received no answer. He gripped the handle and opened it a little and gasped at all the steam that poured out. "Naruto?" he called trying to keep from sounding panicked.

"_Hm_?" Came a quiet voice and this made Minato sigh in relief, his heart had went into his throat for a moment. "_Whoops…_"

Minato choked out a laugh. "Did you fall asleep?" he asked not daring to open the door any further, even though the fog was blocking everything in sight, Minato could have quite an imagination if he allowed it.

"Mhmm, sorry," Naruto squeaked as he splashed around.

Minato grinned. "You're so silly, get out here Gaki. I want to eat and I'm not going to eat alone."

"Alright, one second."

Minato closed the door back and brushed his knuckles across the wood in tender thought. Putting distance between him and Naruto wouldn't do either of them any good.

Naruto couldn't believe he had fallen asleep, the water was warm and no longer hot but that didn't stop the steam that had built up in the shower. He gasped as he nearly slipped on the tiled floor and barely held himself up by a rack; he ripped the towel down from it and secured it around his waist.

Naruto shook the water from his hair using another towel and stepped out of the steaming bathroom and came face to face with Minato's smiling face. Everything about the man lightened Naruto's mood immediately, his eyes having gone from an apparent dim sadness to ultra bright and even dare he say it? _Twinkling_.

"Don't worry me like that again, Gaki," Minato said keeping a cool composure at his naked gorgeous Naruto standing in front of him, towel being the only obstruction to sensual flesh being hidden.

"I didn't mean too," Naruto said with a pout that made Minato slightly weak.

Minato touched his cheeks, feeling the heat coming off his skin and he ran his thumb across one of the whiskers. He stepped up and kissed Naruto on the cheek before turning and walking away without another word to him.

Naruto bit his lower lip, watching the man's retreating back and dissension down the spiral case of steps. The blond disappeared completely and Naruto exhaled.

His Minato was back; Naruto could only think as he stepped into his room and went rummaging through his massive closet for something comfortable. He left his hitai-ite lying on the dresser and kept his hair down as he rushed downstairs to see Minato pulling things out of the refrigerator.

Eyeing it briefly, Naruto deduced their meal and set to helping. Minato smiled and handed him the knife to cut the vegetables. "What did you do the last two days?" Minato asked him curiously.

"Training courses, not for me of course but for Sakura, God, she needs to be sent back to the academy, or Baa-chan knock some sense into her," Naruto said shaking his head.

Minato chuckled. "Really? She's that bad?"

"She does nothing but ruin the teamwork."

"You're a Chuunin though, so is Sasuke, you can take freelance missions."

"I know, I'm about to start," Naruto said giving his father a pointed look. "I want to make Jounin by March or April."

Minato paused and looked over at his son. "Five to six months."

"Mhmm," Naruto said sliding around the man to get the onion. Gah, he hated cutting the things up. "I should have been Jounin last year."

"I didn't want you to be caught up in it so young. It nearly destroyed Itachi-kun and you saw what it did to Sai."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not like that."

Minato smiled, he was right, he was nothing like them. As skilled as they were they had the emotional depth of a teaspoon. "So far, you've completed 21 D Rank, 150 C Rank, 55 B Rank, 19 A Rank, and an accidental S-Rank."

"Memorized my file, have you?" Naruto asked mincing the onions and adding them to the bowl of other veggies.

"Of course, I assigned them. You need to complete at least 100 B Ranks before you can take the test."

"Yep, get to assigning them to me then."

"You're one team member short; Haruno-san can't go on any missions that are B-Rank."

"No kidding, what about Sai?"

The converted ANBU ROOT member was one of Naruto's best friends, he was a lot like Sasuke and Minato still couldn't believe how Naruto had converted the boy and sent them enough information to put Danzo away for life.

"And Kakashi-kun is your leader?" Minato tried not to flinch as he said the man's name. How could he be so cruel? Kakashi had been his favorite student of all of them and now he was treating the silver-haired man like an enemy.

He looked at his Naruto; Kakashi was an enemy when he tried to take what was his. But Minato couldn't exactly have what he wanted could he?

"Obviously, or Yamato-san but I can't work as well with him."

"He's not easy to work with," Minato agreed. "You four do make a rather amazing team, I give you. I wish we could have brought Sai into the academy, I feel terrible having not noticed him."

"That's not your fault," Naruto rebutted, "We only noticed him on a whim, when you had to send a reinforcement for that _accidental_ S-Rank."

"It was a success."

"Mhmm, he was a dick the first few nights," Naruto said shaking his head in memory.

Minato choked. "Language," he said prodding his son gently in the side.

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Only telling the truth."

"Truth or not," Minato said smiling gently.

Naruto enjoyed their conversations; they were always so easy and laid back. It was one of many amazing qualities about the Yellow Flash, he was the most approachable person you could ever meet and Naruto had the privilege of living with him and… loving him, truly.

His heart thumped harshly as he thought about it and dumped the rest of the onions into the meat. Minato flipped on the stove top and set the pan onto the burner, he observed Naruto as the teen set to washing his hands. He couldn't help but wonder what was on the boy's mind, his forehead crinkled lightly in thought and a partial smile rose on his deeply tanned features causing the whisker marks rise with his cheek.

"So, I guess I have no choice but to assign you deadly missions that's going to have me worrying to death until you return, hm?" He casually placed a hand to the small of Naruto's back and it made Naruto relax and look over his shoulders, eyes glittering.

"With my team, you're worrying?"

Minato shrugged. "Of course, how can I not?"

Naruto smiled fondly and tugged Minato's blond ear tail. "Guess that's true, but yes, you better be assigning me some good missions too. If you have me protecting that damn daughter of the Daimyo, I'm not going to be happy."

Chuckling, Minato leaned up against Naruto and snagged the tea towel from a rack for his soaked hands. "It's not my fault they paid for a B-Rank when it was clearly a D-Rank. They pay I provide. They would have paid for an A but I drew the line, I wasn't wasting my Jounin on something that frivolous."

"Yes, but sending me?" Naruto scowled. "You know how I get along with snobs, don't ya?" He resisted biting the man's cheek playfully, they were so close and Naruto's heart was zooming around like Sai's beautifully created birds of art.

Minato quirked his lip. "Personally, I thought she could use a come-down-to-earth kick in the rear."

Naruto laughed outright. "Haven't heard words truer in a long time."

Minato sighed inwardly; he was really in a tight spot. He was in love with Naruto and it was all wrong and so why did he have to feel this way?

As they sat down to dinner, Naruto sitting next to his father instead of across, the teen couldn't help but wonder if Minato was pretending as if Naruto hadn't kissed him at all. He kind of wished that wasn't the case but he didn't want another awkward silence and loneliness for another two days.

Once again, his heart ached.

-\-\-\-

Minato kept his cheerfully warm smile in place as four shinobi stood in front of him. Although there was a slight grimace inside as he saw Naruto teasing Kakashi and the silver-haired Jounin sling his arm around the teen drawing him closer. Trying to resist the urge to come across the desk and literally jerk Kakashi's arm out of his socket he shuffled through his book of B-Ranks.

Sai's expressionless features actually had a hint of amusement as Sasuke sighed and shook his head but he too was amused and it was as though Kakashi and Naruto were always like this.

Kakashi gave him a one-eyed smile.

Minato made sure his voice was cheerful yet Hokage-like as he closed the book. "Alright, I have something set up, it's a low B Rank that could turn higher, and it's actually a risk factor. We received intelligence that there's a new Hidden Village cropping up in the small country of Otogakure known as the Sound. I was told it was made up of mainly children ranging from four to eighteen and most of them had some rare bloodline limit abilities."

Kakashi finally straightened up, a rare look of seriousness and Naruto tilted his head, his eyes twinkling as though it would be fun and even Sasuke had a glint of hope.

Minato couldn't blame them, they'd been training for the better part of six months to prepare for B Ranks and while Sasuke and Naruto were actually low Jounin level, Minato had wanted to be one hundred percent positive on their skill and abilities. Minato may not enjoy Kakashi's affections for Naruto but the man was the best in the village, the most trusted person to lead a team and get them out alive.

"No one knows who the Kage is and I think it's a good idea that we figure it out before we get any disturbing surprises considering they are bordering us. All I need from you is to scout it out, try and find names if you dare. It's a B Rank with an S Class secrecy stamp upon it, no one is to get wind of where you're going or what you're doing and if they become hostile attempt to apprehend one of them alive so that T&I can get the information. I believe setting out at 0500 is the best and Kakashi-kun, do be on time," he said with a sideways smile.

"Of course Yondaime-sama," Kakashi said with a nod.

Sasuke raised his eyes to the ceiling trying to stifle any laugh that may have escaped while Naruto nudged him in the ribs. "Yeah Cyclops, be on time."

"_Oomph!_"

"Thank you Yondaime-sama," Sai said with an incline of his head.

"Use this time to prepare," Minato insisted, "Naruto, I'll see you at home."

"Alright Minato!" Naruto waved and the group left together, causing Ino to flush pink when she saw the group that ignored her completely.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke twitched and stared coolly at her. "Hn?"

"Good luck on your mission!"

Sasuke paused a moment before nodding. "Thanks."

-

Minato watched out the window as Naruto and his team piled out onto the streets. Naruto was now hoisted on Sai's back with a wide smile and Kakashi just had to do something that made Minato's blood boil. He slapped his blond on the backside getting a soft yelp of surprise, even Sasuke had laughed at that while Sai only smirked.

How dare he touch Naruto! Minato thought harshly as he tried to ignore the feelings of rage and jealousy.

Naruto's team was the best to go and scout out, he would have sent Kurenai's team since they were the best trackers but when it came to potential hostile forces, Kakashi's team was better equipped to handle and Sai and Kakashi had enough tracking abilities to get them there flawlessly.

He turned away from the window and scratched his head, he was finding it harder and harder each day to control his affections for his son and he knew that half of the city doted on him, particularly the male population with the exception of both Hyuuga's.

Hiashi had already stated his interest in giving one of his daughters to Naruto in an arranged marriage. It would be of course for conception purposes only, considering everyone knew Naruto's preference and it was true, there were only two Namikaze's and very few young Hyuuga's left.

But Minato had yet to bring this up to Naruto, he didn't know how he would react being so young, so Minato would wait until he was a little older and actually voiced his interest in a child. Hiashi hadn't been pleased with this but Minato would never force Naruto do something he didn't want too.

It was something that he and the Hyuuga clashed heavily on. It wasn't unusual in the Hidden Villages, those who preferred the same gender marrying for conception purposes and then sharing the rights between the individuals involved. In fact, this was what Hiashi had done in the first place, his former wife Senna was an Uchiha but she had also been Hiashi's best friend and the placement had been rather easy. Senna was now married to another Uchiha with two sons a little older than Sasuke.

Minato shook his head. He didn't want to dwell too deeply into that, it made his stomach twist into knots. He already had enough on his shoulders and heart without having to worry about the future of his name.

When he returned home, he found Naruto in the bedroom going through kunai and scowling at the blunt edges of them. "I need new ones," Naruto said having heard him from far away.

Minato left the room and came back with a box of shuriken and placed them beside Naruto who blinked. "Ooh."

"I restocked yesterday."

"How long do you think I'll be gone?"

"It's hard to say, depends on what you run into."

"I'm thinking, if I find a little boy or girl," Naruto began thoughtfully, "I could try and get some information that way."

Minato nodded and sank down on the edge of the bed and simply watched Naruto move around the room. He checked his son's pack to make sure he wasn't missing anything and like usual, he wasn't; Naruto was always prepared.

It was four in the morning when Naruto stumbled downstairs, not feeling up to eating so early in the morning he grabbed a couple energy bars from the top of the refrigerator and turned to see Minato standing behind him, he looked as though he were debating something.

Naruto cocked his head to the side and stepped into Minato's personal space and once again they were nose to nose. Minato couldn't help himself; he slipped his arms around Naruto's waist drawing him even closer.

"I'm going to miss you," Minato confessed into his ear.

Naruto's pulse quickened as he felt the warm breath of the man in his ear. "Of course you are, without me your life is boring," he taunted and pressed his lips to his father's cheek and smiled blissfully when he was squeezed firmly.

"That really is true," Minato said fingering the ends of the strapped ponytail, like before he could smell Naruto's soft gentle scent and even under the dark purple mesh shirt and black thin armor of the shinobi's he could still feel the teen's slender frame.

Naruto squeezed Minato around the neck before slowly pulling back, sapphire eyes locked together and Minato hesitated very briefly and then he pressed a kissed to the side of Naruto's mouth, so very close to his lips.

Naruto's heart sang as he smiled and mimicked Minato. "Bubyes," he said childishly as Minato caught himself in a chuckle.

"Come back to me," Minato said a little firmly.

"Of course, where else would I go?" Naruto said releasing the most important person in his life and snagged his bag. In an instant, Naruto gave a one-handed seal and crows erupted and squawked where he had once stood.

Minato licked his lips, he could just taste the mint even if he hadn't touched his lips, it was close enough.


	3. Chapter Three

_**Chapter Three **_

Kakashi was curious, the team had set off at exactly 0500 hours and they were passing leafy trees and rocky outcrops at a swift but steady pace. He wanted to ask but Sai and Sasuke were too close.

Naruto had been smiling. Now this wasn't unusual, Naruto was always full of smiles and cute twinkles of the eye but this smile was different. It said plainly, 'I got what I want,' and Kakashi felt like a kitty cat wondering what the hell was going on.

Kakashi didn't have much of a life and he had to live through Naruto or someone to get a thrill and boy did Naruto give him the thrill he sought.

Naruto in love Minato: what better than to follow up on this?

Naruto flashed him an amused look and this caused Kakashi to huff.

"What's got you so pleased, Naruto?" Sai asked curiously. "I can practically feel your happiness."

Sasuke nodded with an identical grimace.

"Oh nothing," Naruto said barely touching a tree branch before skipping to the next perfectly dodging a low hanging branch that was out to get all shinobi. "Nothing at all, I'm just happy because – well I'm a step away from finally becoming a Jounin."

Sasuke took that but Sai gave him one of those lazy looks. "Did you get laid or something?"

Sasuke choked and Kakashi smirked.

Naruto chuckled. "No Sai, I didn't," he said slinging his arm around Sai's neck. "I'm just happy."

"Uh huh, just happy?" Sai asked. "I know better than that."

Naruto bounced on Sai's back, causing a grunt from the former ROOT member. Sai clasped his arms around the blond's legs and continued to keep up with the other two. "I'm excited okay, if I told you, you'd probably think I was out of my mind and hate me."

Kakashi was shocked; Naruto was going to tell them?

Sasuke looked confused. "Why would we hate you?"

Naruto sheepishly buried his face into Sai's shoulder. He didn't say anything which caused the curiosity of the group to rise to a high altitude.

"You know Naruto-kun, I don't think they would be all that surprised," Kakashi finally said after twenty minutes of silence.

Sasuke and Sai gazed at Kakashi. "What is it?" Sasuke demanded.

Naruto hummed and then took his mouth from Sai's shoulder. "I'm in love with Minato," he spilled out, cheeks lighting up like a fire as he buried his face back into Sai's shoulder. He didn't want to see the looks of disgust or horror and he was bracing himself by tensing. He wondered if Sai would throw him off.

"Yeah I know," Sasuke said breaking the tension.

"Couldn't have been more obvious," Sai said causing Naruto's head to shoot up wide eyed.

"Not everyone calls their father by their first name," Sasuke pointed out.

"Not to mention we know you too damn well," Sai said shaking his head.

Kakashi smirked. "See, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto grumbled. "Yeah well…"

"It's not that bad," Sasuke said quietly. "It happens."

Sai quirked his lip. "Speak from experience?"

Sasuke stiffened and Naruto perked. "Itachi?"

"Shut up," Sasuke growled but it had no heat.

"Well, clans marry into each other all the time. It is true that this situation of yours is a little different considering he is your father, however neither of you act like father and son," Kakashi said shaking his head. "For as long as I could remember, you two were friends. You call Minato and he was never bothered by it like most would."

Naruto gave a sigh and rested his chin on top of Sai who glanced to side. "What are you so worked up for? What does it matter who he is? Who told you, you couldn't love him?"

"To most people it would be sick and disturbing."

"Not really," Sai said frowning in thought. "That's only what you believe because of the circumstances and anyway who cares what others think?"

Kakashi smiled at this.

"If he wasn't the Yondaime it wouldn't be so bad," Naruto reminded, "the fact is, he is the Yondaime and that's not good."

"It's not like you have to shout it out at people," Sasuke explained, "it's no one's business and anyway most won't believe anything unless they are told by the person themselves. Let them make up their own ideas and do what you want, take what you want."

"Uchiha," Naruto teased.

"Hn, an Uchiha always get what he or she wants," Sasuke said and gave him a smirk to confirm it.

"You included, huh?" Sai asked and this caused Sasuke's cheeks to actually pink.

Kakashi barked in laughter. "Oh, this is so much better than my _Icha Icha Paradise!_"

"Should I tell Pervy Sage?" Naruto teased.

"Oh please don't!"

"Thing is, I see it," Sai admitted, "I saw him yesterday staring out the window, I caught his expression."

"I see it too," said Sasuke trying to take the heat off himself.

"Now that they know and don't care, why are you so happy exactly?" Kakashi asked and it sounded to Naruto as if he were almost begging.

Naruto tried to rub the blush off his face but it did no good. "He kissed me this morning, or well nearly kissed me but it was enough…"

"So, he's likely to have the same feelings as you," Sai deduced. "I don't see what's so bad about it personally. Then again I never had parents, so I don't get it at all." He shrugged.

"Thing is," Naruto began, "I don't see Minato like that, at all."

"Just go with it," Sai said.

"Take it," Sasuke added.

Naruto chuckled. "Okay guys; let's worry about the mission and my dysfunctional no-to-going love life."

They got off the subject as they moved further through the Fire Country, Kakashi was leading them into the direction and they continued until for two days and nights without rest before they stopped at the very edge of the country itself and found a private enclave of trees and bushes to set up tent and rest.

Naruto called upon Gamakichi and his brother, while Kakashi summoned one of his bigger canine to watch over for the night. Naruto tossed the sibling toads three bags of pretzels that he had stashed away and they excitedly set out to protect them for the night.

All four of them were a little too tired to take in shifts. Sasuke and Sai in one tent and Naruto and Kakashi in the other. Naruto rested his head on the man's stomach and was lying sideways, being just short enough that his feet didn't hang out.

They didn't stay put for long, six hours later they were packed up and ready to go and it was still dark out when everyone but Naruto swallowed an energy pill.

The blond passed out a quick breakfast, and gave the canine summons and the toads some before they disappeared and they were soon on their way once again.

The break in the trees came an hour later and the group of Nin fell from a branch and settled themselves behind a bush. They were on the outskirts of Otogakure and they saw the brick walls surrounding it and two young looking guards standing at the gates.

"How should we do this guys?" Kakashi asked.

"I can take an aerial view," Sai said pulling out his scroll and a brush. "With Sasuke's Sharingan we can get a close up on what we're actually dealing with."

Kakashi nodded.

"I can use my Sexy Jutsu; it's more fool proof than a Kage Bunshin or any Henge. I can slip in as a normal girl."

Sasuke smirked. "Where are you going to get clothes at?"

"Drop my armor and keep the mesh shirt," Naruto answered.

"Isn't that a little revealing?" Sai asked.

"Switch me clothes then," Naruto said sizing Sai up.

Sai thought about it. "Alright," he agreed.

It took ten minutes for Naruto and Sai to change outfits and Naruto did the Jutsu causing Kakashi goggle temporarily at the girlie blonde figure with tits too big for her age.

"You really got that down."

Naruto stuck out his tongue causing Sai to snort. "Looks really weird you doing that as a girl."

Naruto's voice became a childish one of soprano as he wiggled into Sai's uniform. It was half cut exposing Naruto's stomach and the pants stretched hanging against his hips.

"For someone who likes guys, you learned the female anatomy well, huh?" Sasuke asked watching Naruto take out two clips and put his blonde hair into pigtails.

"Of course, I'm the picture of perfection," Naruto's voice was so female that it caused Kakashi to drool behind his mask.

Sai looked him over. "An improvement from Sakura or that other blonde."

Sasuke snorted and Kakashi bobbed his head.

"Well, I guess I'll be off," Naruto teasingly planted a kiss near Kakashi's eye before hopping out of the bushes.

They all three watched as Naruto swayed his hips and planted on a face of perfect naivety, if anyone could sneak into a village undetected it was Naruto. He may be loud and bold but when it came to pranks, Namikaze Naruto was number one.

It worked like a charm, Naruto was being pet by the two guards and he blushed furiously. "Do you have a place around here that I could find something to eat? I'm hungry," he said and jutted out his lips in a pout.

"Why of course! What were we thinking, er-?"

"Makaze Nadia," he said sweetly.

Naruto was taken to one of the finest restaurants by a goggling guy eighteen-year-old wrapped in bandages around the face.

"Why thank you bandage-kun," Naruto said batting his lashes at the guy who had blushed underneath them.

"The names Kinuta Dosu, Nadia-chan, I hope this place suits your tastes."

"Ooh, it does but I have only this," Naruto held out a few papers of ryo.

"Don't you worry about that, sweetheart; I'll take care of it."

Naruto beamed and tackled the guy in a girlie squeezable hug that had him pushed up against his breasts. Ulgh, so degrading, Naruto thought but mildly funny, especially considering the guy was ruby red and if Naruto felt right with his thigh, he was _up_ for anything.

Naruto gave the man a perfectly concocted lie, telling him that his family had been attacked by bandits just outside of the Rain Country.

"This was the first place I came across," he said shyly and began to wind a piece of hair around his fingers for effect.

It worked; Dosu's eyes became a little glazed. Naruto was about to start asking innocent questions until someone approached them and that same someone was extremely familiar. It was an instant shock to his system and it was only because of his skill as a shinobi that he kept his mask perfectly in place.

A Konoha Medical Ninja walked right up to him, Naruto recognized him, he was one of the two that trained Sakura. Yakushi Kabuto.

The older teen adjusted his glasses and peered down at Naruto before his cheeks colored. "Dosu-kun who's this lovely lady? I've never seen her before."

"This is Makaze Nadia, she's from the Rain Country, remember that nasty problem with the bandits they had?"

Kabuto nodded and stared hard at Naruto who blushed furiously and lowered his eyes before peeking up at him through his lashes. Naruto received the perfect reaction; Kabuto slipped down beside him and expressed his condolences about Nadia's family.

"I am a certified Medical Nin, if there is anything you need or if you're injured?"

"My daddy felt them coming and he pushed me into the attic and told me not to move," Naruto said sadly, "he said if I moved he'd never forgive me, even in death. So – so – so I…" he forced the tears to naturally flow down his cheeks causing Dosu and Kabuto to wince.

"He did the right thing, there wasn't anything you could have done and at least now you're safe."

"I don't know about safe, I know I'm alone and that's all."

Naruto received very little information from both guys and he was a little cautious about jabbing for more, he had more than enough with a Konoha citizen planted here as though it were home.

He met two others; the female looked at Naruto sourly before stealing the last dango from his plate.

Dosu growled. "That's hers you bitch!"

"It's okay," Naruto said smiling gently and touching Dosu's arm. "She can have."

"Don't be a lap dog for a pretty girl," the dark headed Nin said coldly. "It doesn't suit you."

Kabuto eyed her distastefully. "You should show common courtesy, the Kage would be very upset with you if he heard of your rude tone to an innocent civilian."

"Innocent? Hah!"

Naruto bowed his head sadly. "I – stumbled across this village on my way. I was really hungry and only looking for a place to rest temporarily. I won't be here long."

"Where will you go?" Kabuto asked.

"I have an aunt that lives in the Tea Country, I'm hoping to meet up with her and maybe she'll take me in. I'm a good cook and I can clean house just fine so maybe I'll be useful…" Naruto did what most girls did and rambled on; the Tea Country was itty bitty, all civilians and no shinobi or kunoichi at all.

Dosu and Kabuto hanging onto her every word while the female, who Naruto had yet to figure out a name glared at him like he were a slug.

"Your hair is awfully shiny, to be a homeless chick," she said sharply.

Naruto brought his hand to his hair. "I used the river on the other side and I," he gave them a blush, "stole some clothes from a nearby camp. Mommy always taught me that no matter how bad you have it to always be presentable to people you meet, had I met you two days ago my hair would have been a completely different story."

Naruto continued on and he was given a room at the nearby Inn. Dosu paid for him before they were being called by their Kage. The girl had left some time ago and now here Naruto was sitting in a small room.

He went over the information he had in his mind, Kakashi would be able to make better sense of it than him, but one thing was for certain, Kabuto was a traitor, spy, or an innocent and Naruto's instincts were going to go with the first two. He never really knew Kabuto; he'd only seen the guy in passing.

Naruto planted a Kage Bunshin and gave it a nod while adding twice the amount of Chakra to make her sturdier.

"You know the drill, disappear if any problems arise."

It nodded and Naruto disappeared using a simpler form of Shunshin.

He collapsed in the clove of trees where they had agreed to meet, Naruto moaned out as he lay flat on his back. Kakashi had been sitting Indian style with Jiraiya's latest novel of Icha Icha Kiss, the man glanced over however when Naruto came out of his Sexy Jutsu.

"I don't know which I like better."

Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Okay, I left a Kage Bunshin in my place and got out of there. I got a couple names, one very strange and familiar name."

"Oh?"

"Yakushi Kabuto."

Naruto could see the indents of a frown appearing and his one eye drooped down as he went into thought. "I see…"

It was an hour later when Sasuke and Sai reappeared; Sai had drawn a perfect map of Otogakure.

"Good, looks like we're done for now. We should get back."

"What did you learn?" Sasuke asked.

"There's a Konoha shinobi there," Naruto answered, "and he seems to know the Kage very well, whoever that is. I got two names, but I saw no children out and about. I've planted a Kage Bunshin so if all goes wrong it'll pop away and I should receive the information."

When they returned three days later the group headed toward the tower and was met by Ino on the inside. Naruto ignored her and stalked right through before she could protest or agree to let them pass.

"Minato!" To be honest, Naruto was excited to see the blond man and was graced with his gentle smile the second he walked in.

"Naruto!" Minato itched to grab him and pull him close but instead he reframed from doing so when the rest of Naruto's team members came into the room. "How'd it go?"

"It went well," Kakashi said with a slight one-eyed smile.

Sai handed him a full sized map, Sasuke helped spread it out. Naruto met Minato's smile with one of his own, his heart was fluttering after being gone away from the man for so long. He had to steady his breathing so he could speak evenly. "I found two names, one that is very interesting."

"Oh?" Minato asked concerned. "How did you get the names?"

"I pretended to be a female, under the guise Makaze Nadia from Rain Country. I told them that bandits attacked my family and I was heading for Tea Country to live with my aunt. One of them is Kinuta Dosu and the other a Konoha Ninja, Yakushi Kabuto to be exact."

Minato frowned slightly. "Any word about their Kage?"

"They spoke of him and Kabuto seemed rather zealous considering his tone of voice. I didn't dare dig in case they thought something fishy was going on. I couldn't find any small children out and about."

"I'll have some files drawn up about Yakushi-san and this Kinuta Dosu; do you know how old he is?"

"Eighteen and I've no idea where he's from, he wears a Sound hitai-ite but Kabuto had neither the Sound hitai-ite nor Konoha. My guess coming from my instincts, he's a traitor and a spy, whichever one it is can't be good."

"You're right it's not," Minato agreed going over the map in front of him.

He was in serious mode now and Naruto couldn't help but enjoy the sight of him. Naruto perched on the edge of the Yondaime's desk and shifted so that one knee came up next to Minato's hand.

Sai was explaining what they had found with the Sharingan. "There seems to be two entrances to the Sound, one more hidden and it was uncovered by Sasuke's eyes."

"Also the Kage's place is a little more than a hole in the wall," Sasuke added into it. "To me, it looks like they move around quite a bit and only just settled."

Minato nodded with a hm, "Kakashi-kun, I'm going to need you to track down Kurenai's Team, I could particularly use Inuzuka Kiba's abilities and Aburame's silent tracking."

"Hai, Yondaime-sama" Kakashi said and disappeared in a puff.

Minato hummed and tapped his fingers on the edge. "Sasuke-kun, I'd like for you to inform your brother of your findings but no one else and ask him to come see me when he has the chance?"

Sasuke nodded. "Okay, see you guys." He disappeared leaving Sai and Naruto.

"Want me to get you the file on Kabuto?" Naruto asked.

"Please," Minato said grabbing a slip of paper and writing down his demands so that the hospital wouldn't turn Naruto away.

"Sai?"

"Hai?"

"I need you to ask around the ROOT compound and find out what you know about Kinuta Dosu?"

"On it," Sai said and winked at Naruto before he too was gone.

Minato finally raised his head to look into Naruto's eyes now that everyone was gone. "Here, take this."

As Naruto's fingers began to pull the paper from Minato's grip, the Yondaime leaned in and kissed him delicately upon the lips.

Naruto reacted back instantly taking the taste of Minato's lips as they rubbed together tenderly. His heart pumped and his head spun deliriously and he shivered slightly when his cheek was caressed delicately by strong trustful fingers along the edge of his whisker marks. Minato dragged it down to his chin before deftly breaking the kiss and peering into sapphire orbs. "I missed you."

Naruto crinkled the paper in his hand and smiled as he flicked a lock of hair out of the man's eyes. "Same."

Naruto left Minato's office in a bit of a daze and he carried a smile all the way to the hospital which was across from the Hokage tower. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he had been dreaming that particular moment up, only in his dreams did Minato ever truly kiss him on the lips.

He licked them, memorizing the taste that Minato held.

Cinnamon.


	4. Chapter Four

_**Chapter Four**_

"Kinuta Dosu," Minato began aloud. The Hokage office was a whole lot fuller three hours later, Ino had to add more chairs. Naruto was sitting on his desk with his feet tucked under him like a pretzel.

Sasuke and Itachi occupied the gold loveseat in the corner, so much alike yet so very different, leaning against the sill of his window was Kakashi. Sai had wedged in next to Sasuke and Kurenai's Team which consisted of Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino were scattered in the other chairs. Kurenai remained standing, her garnet eyes would look at Naruto with a slight frown as though she didn't approve of his choice of seat.

Minato pretended to not have noticed as he stood, examining the file. "Eighteen years, his parents were killed in Kirigakure and he possessed an ability of Sound-Jutsu. According to this, he was adopted by the Mizukage of the time, which we all know was Uchiha Madara," Minato said briefly glancing at Sasuke and Itachi. They both stiffened at the name. "However after he turned eleven he left Kirigakure and has since then become a Missing Nin."

"Until now," Kiba said stroking Akamaru at his side.

"Exactly."

"So, is this little country made up of Missing Nin? That could prove dangerous," Kurenai said in concern.

"Yes, it could be dangerous. Which is why I am gathering more information, we must be aware of who our neighbors are. Kurenai-san I wish for you and your team to attempt sniffing out what you can about this place, be very stealthy don't let them know what you are up to, and in fact I would appreciate if you didn't go inside of the village at all," he stressed. "I need something, a scent or a scrap of evidence outside of the village. Perhaps overhearing the guards talk," he looked from Shino to Kiba who nodded. "Also, Hinata-san?"

"Hai?"

"I would like you to use your Byakugan to get a good grip on what their chakra levels are, consider this a B Rank and to head out before sunset. I want the answers quick."

"Hai!" They all declared at the same time. Once they were gone, Minato sank back into his seat and pulled Kabuto's file.

"Now then, Yakushi Kabuto's file is a lot cleaner considering he is the adopted son of the Head Medic. However he disappeared shortly a year ago for six months and was found unconscious on the edge of Fire with no knowledge of how he wound up there. His Medical Jutsu is only second to Tsunade. At first I overlooked this but after checking over his files, I realized that he has failed his Genin Exams over eight times."

"Damn!" Naruto exclaimed what they were all thinking.

"Now, usually this would mean that as a shinobi he's not exactly fit, but I don't believe it," Minato said and Itachi gave a sharp nod.

"Knowing Medical Jutsu means he has knowledge of the entire human body," Naruto said, "He could be a very deadly and skilled Jounin level under the guise of a bonehead."

Kakashi snorted. "I agree there."

"Why would he fail them so many times?" Sasuke asked.

"Information gathering," Sai answered immediately.

Minato inclined his head. "Information on the up and coming Chuunin and possibly something more."

"Actually," Naruto said and looked over at Sasuke who was also recalling there only time that they met Kabuto officially, "when I first met Kabuto in the exam room, he had these cards, information on every Genin that had been in the room at the time. I never thought anything about it then, kinda figured he was a nerd."

Sasuke snorted. "He is a nerd," he remarked. "Just a deadly one."

"Did they do any medical examinations on his mind?" For the first time since everyone arrived, Itachi spoke.

"No, I don't think so. He seemed competent enough to not have to undergo such drastic medical examination. I wish now that we had, but I figured Ibiki-san from T&I would have been enough."

"Also there was no major incident revolving around Konoha at the time," Kakashi reminded. "It was all peaceful."

"Something's going on in the background," Minato said solemnly. "I don't like it and I don't trust it. Itachi-san I may need you on stand-by?"

"Hai," Itachi said with a nod.

'What about the council?"

"Leave them to me," Minato said glancing idly over at his son who was delved into his thoughts. He was beautiful when he went into his mind, his sweet tasting lips would become pinched and his forehead would crinkle cutely. He could still taste Naruto on his mouth from earlier and a longing to reenact his actions from earlier settled over him. He didn't let his expression waver in the slightest.

"My Kage Bunshin is still in place, she hasn't disappeared yet."

"Good, maybe it'll pick something up. I believe we're missing a tiny detail and I hope Kurenai's Team can find it. The Chuunin Exams are coming up, I need to get in touch with Sunagakure's Kazekage and see what he thinks about this. I believe that is all for now."

Kakashi nodded. "Well, I'm out of here." He was gone in a flash and Itachi and the other raven-haired men left promptly afterwards.

Naruto had his elbows pressed to his knees and fists placed just under his chin. "I'm hungry."

Minato smiled. "I apologize for Kurenai-san's glare."

"Bah, she never liked me," Naruto said waving his hand dismissively.

"I'm hungry too," Minato said closing the file and tossing it over his shoulder onto a desk. "Ichiraku's?"

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Do you even have to ask?"

Minato chuckled and tugged on one of his ear tails. "Not at all."

The only problem about going out to eat was all the people that stopped them along the way to shake his hand or talk to him. Naruto found himself more than irritated when curvy women came by gripping his hand and literally bouncing with excitement.

Naruto wondered how they would look caught up in his Rasenshuriken, spinning around destroying their nervous system.

Naruto paused as he realized how cruel he sounded and then shrugged, who cared. Minato was his!

Ichiraku's Ramen Bar was Naruto's favorite place, no surprise there. They sat as far from the eaves as they could so that they didn't get noticed and Ayame and her father served them with delight.

"Keep them coming," Naruto insisted. "One miso with garlic and one chicken!"

Minato smirked. "I'll take the miso shrimp."

Once they walked away to prepare the meals, Minato turned to Naruto who was sitting content with his hands under the table. Their chairs were angled closely to each other and they were shoulder to shoulder. "You're awfully quiet," Minato said softly.

Naruto smiled. "I'm happy."

"Why?" Minato asked.

Naruto slipped his wrist around Minato's forearm and leaned closer to him. "Do I have to have a reason?"

"Not usually, but for a silent sort of happiness, then yes, you need a reason."

Naruto contemplated the man's words for a moment before laughing quietly for no reason at all. He felt a little shy and that was something that Naruto never was. The teen then shrugged and never answered causing Minato's lips to form a playful smile before he could stop it.

Naruto wound up having two bowls of each, while Minato settled for two. It always amazed Minato how much ramen he actually ate. He didn't eat much anywhere else except for Ichiraku's.

Minato talked to the restaurant owner for a few minutes while Naruto finished off his last bowl. The two looked at each other before staring at the swinging eaves.

"Think we can get home without being bowled over?" Minato asked into his ear.

Naruto didn't answer for a minute, he was enjoying the close proximity and then he gave a slight nod. "Might as well get it over Yondaime-sama," Naruto teased causing Minato to squeeze his side sneakily.

The two blond's headed out together, both scanning the area for citizens before they made a swift departure back to their house.

Fifteen minutes later, "Phew!" Minato and Naruto rushed up the walk and bolted their door shut.

"Well, it was only ten this time."

"Ten," Minato repeated. "Yeah, not so bad."

The maid had already come and gone for the evening and Naruto found the sofa a comfortable change to Kakashi's chest at night. His belt had already been discarded along with his hand and ankle guards.

Minato noticed the articles of clothing as he came back in, he too had gotten more comfortable. Naruto lifted up his legs so that Minato could take a seat and he could be used as a footrest.

"Oh, I'm sorry your majesty want me to rub them?" Minato mocked playfully.

Naruto grinned. "I wouldn't complain, we did rush back in three days."

Minato squeezed Naruto's ankle. "I guess that deserves a little comfort."

"Uh huh," Naruto murmured tiredly.

"How much sleep have you had in seven days?"

"Uhm, nine hours maybe?" Naruto shrugged. "It don't bother me much, this asshole inside of me keeps my energy up."

Minato winced, the Kyuubi was always a very sensitive and sore subject, neither of them liked to bring it up.

"I can go up to five days without sleep before I go loony."

"I'd rather not test that," Minato expressed.

Naruto exhaled softly when he felt Minato's warm hands run along his feet and up to his ankle. They were locked in a comfortable silence, both diving into their inner thoughts not really knowing that they modeled each other.

The teen almost fell into a sleep when he felt his hitai-ite being taken from his forehead. He sleepily opened an eye to see Minato having scooted closer and was gently trying to extract the band from his hair without snagging anything. Minato hadn't noticed, so focused on what he was doing and it made Naruto smile partially. He closed his eyes back once the protector was off and he heard a quiet clank and felt an arm slid around his waist.

Naruto hummed and shifted pulling the arm closer, which made Minato shift positions. He felt a head press to his shoulder and opened his eyes again to see Minato's blond head an inch from his chin. The scent of shampoo made his nose twitch, it was the same as his own obviously and he was comforted in the fact that Minato didn't pull away and instead stayed with him.

The both of them easily fell asleep this way.

Naruto was sent on several low B Ranks the next few days, just outside the village there had been reports of rebels setting up nearby and only a few of the dozen or so rebels were any match for Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai.

Kakashi only ever jumped in if he thought things were getting out of hand.

It was two weeks after he returned from Otogakure in which Naruto, Kakashi, and Sasuke were hearing an earful from Sakura about how she was never included and that it wasn't fair.

"I might as well not be on your team!" she scowled as she crossed her arms.

"Become a Chuunin, then," Kakashi said after rubbing his ears.

Naruto however was worse on considering his hearing was quite a bit sharper and he was found rubbing one of them on Sasuke's shoulder with a soft moan.

"I'm trying!" Sakura sulked. "All the teams you put me on suck!"

"Konohamaru is missing a team member," Naruto said realizing that he was up next for Chuunin Exams. "Moegi's parents took her out and I'm sure Konohamaru will go all the way."

"You did teach him the Rasengan," Kakashi said with a nod.

She sulked before accepting it with a nod.

"Perhaps I can ask Baa-chan to train you a bit," Naruto said thoughtfully. "I'll have to ask Minato how to get a hold of her. She's probably somewhere in the Land of Wine gambling her ass off."

Sakura spluttered when Naruto used the Yondaime's given name. He never actually used it in her presence before. "That's really inappropriate you know!" she admonished.

"Why?" Naruto asked confused. "I've called him Minato for years."

"But – he's your father!"

"So?" Naruto asked shrugging. "You call your father dad and I'll call mine Minato. No big deal."

"It's weird and he's the Yondaime!"

"No kidding?" Naruto shook his head and looked up at Kakashi. He was about to ask about getting another mission when there was a poof and Gamakichi appeared in his adult form.

"Naruto-kun!" He clobbered Naruto as usual causing Sasuke to smirk and Sakura to wrinkle her nose. "Yondaime-sama wants to see you, Naruto-kun! He gave me a bag of potato chips for efforts, see!" He held up the empty bag causing Naruto to chuckle and pat him gently.

"Alright, Gamakichi, thanks. Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

"Yes sir!" he disappeared with another poof.

"We should go ahead with you and get our mission," Kakashi said as Sakura scoffed. "Perhaps he'll have a low enough B Rank that you can join, Sakura-san."

Her eyes lit up. "Yay! Isn't that great Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

Naruto smirked and used the crow technique to disappear, knowing that Sasuke would follow.

He appeared in front of Minato's desk and was surprised to see Anko and Shikamaru there. "Shika!" Shikamaru had been prepared, he caught his over excited friend with an oomph and was rewarded with a kiss to the cheek.

"Naruto-kun," Shikamaru responded lazily.

Minato arched an eyebrow. "I see you've made it Naruto and in record time." His voice didn't give away the squeamish sensation he had just seeing Naruto in someone else's arms. The mere thought of another person touching Naruto made Minato feel out of character and dare he say it? Murderous!

"Yup!" He bounced over and plopped down in his rightful place on Minato's desk. This caused Anko to twitch her eye in irritation.

Minato tugged Naruto by the wrist and pulled a set of papers from under his cute butt. "I have asked the three of you here for obvious reasons."

There was a knock at the door and Ino came in to say that the rest of Team Kakashi was outside.

"Bring them in, this isn't a secret or anything," he said smiling as Naruto's team came in. The pink haired girl was glaring at the blonde who grinned smugly. "One second," Minato said to the group. "As the Chuunin Exams are under way, I am in need of examiners. Anko-san I want to rearrange your usual schedule and instead of the Forest of Death I would like you to oversee the final matches."

Anko looked confused but she nodded. "Hai."

"Shikamaru-san, in case of preliminaries I will need you on hand. Your technique has saved many Genin lives over the last two years."

"Of course."

"Should let them rot, if they're that annoying," Anko said with a smirk.

Minato chuckled humorlessly. "I don't like anyone dying on my watch if I can help it, especially young shinobi that have talent."

She shrugged. "If they get themselves killed then they have no talent to begin with, neh?"

"I don't believe that's ever the case," Minato said gently and he turned to Naruto. "Naruto, I want you to follow up Ibiki this time during the first exams and lead them to the Forest of Death. I need you to keep an eye on Kabuto for me."

Naruto nodded which made Anko frown deeply. "But Yondaime-sama, he's only a Chuunin!"

"He's only a Chuunin because I asked him stay that way," Minato told her, "Sasuke-kun is also a Chuunin because his brother had the same ideas I had. Technically both boys are well equipped for Jounin level. I had wishes to hold them back not because I didn't have faith in them but because I wanted them to grow with others their age. Itachi agreed with me considering it almost ruined him when he became a Jounin so young."

Sasuke gave a sharp nod of understanding.

"It was your intervention to keep all the trouble from starting in the first place," Kakashi said in recollection. "I think had it been anyone else, the Uchiha's would be long gone with only one or two left."

Sasuke winced minimally at that.

"I would do everything in my power to prevent that, even going against the council," Minato said in earnest.

"And that's why you're the Hokage," Kakashi said with a smirk behind his mask and green book.

Minato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Naruto, do you mind? You know the Forest of Death quite well."

Naruto smiled. "Not a problem, Minato. I love the Forest of Death, good training exercises."

Anko blinked and Sakura blushed furiously and they both expected a reprimand for Naruto's usage of his first name, but it never came.

Minato smiled back. "Good, you'll be handling the Heaven and Earth scrolls, if you wish Kakashi-kun you can back him up?"

"Hai," Kakashi remarked nodding.

"These will go on your record as A Ranked missions," he said finally.

He dismissed Shikamaru and Anko; Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "See you Naruto-kun."

"Shika!"

Shikamaru smirked. "Troublesome you are," he said before walking out of the room in lazy strides.

After a discussion about B Ranks and Sakura's want to join in, Minato gently let her down insisting that she would need to pass the Chuunin. Her face fell at this.

"I don't want to see a promising kunoichi die because I gave her a mission that was too much for her to handle. I apologize Haruno-san, but until you complete the Chuunin Exams I will not have you joining in on B Ranks that have the potential to become higher."

"I'll call Sai in and provide you with details for your next mission. Kurenai's Team are on their way back from Otogakure even as we speak," he said forming the Summoning Jutsu.

A smaller version of Gamakichi appeared and he beamed up at both blonds. He disappeared after Minato's request.

"I was wondering Minato, do you think Baa-chan would be up for training Sakura-san a little?"

"Hm," Minato hummed as he eyed Sakura who swallowed and blushed at being put on the spot. "I'm sure if I send her a missive and request it of her as a favor for you, Naruto she'll jump on it. Although she'll be a grouch for a week because of her ruined chance at winning big."

Naruto snorted. "Winning big means bad news for us."

"Hai," Minato agreed.

Sai was at the tower almost immediately. "You wanted to see me Yondaime-sama?" he asked bowing his head in respect.

"Great, you're all here, ready for your next mission?"

"Hai!"

-0-0-0-

It was much too quiet at home, Minato thought. Naruto had been gone for three days with his team and Minato felt like climbing the walls at home. It didn't particularly help that Kakashi and Sai's severe close contact with Naruto sent him into a blind furious rage that he was only able to tone down with the help of silent meditation.

He was seen in his office much too often during the times that Naruto was gone and he wound up glaring at the stacks of paper in front of him that were still waiting to be checked through.

God, he was pathetic, his entire life revolved around Naruto in much the way that the village of Konoha revolved around him.

Naruto was an addiction: his smiles, eyes, and sweet tone of voice made Minato almost weak. Every night they'd go home and wind up falling asleep together on the couch cuddled close and simply resting, happy to be home and with one another.

The soft sleeps that Naruto went into was one of Minato's favorite things to watch, the gentle rising and falling of the teen's chest, the way his cheek would be pressed into him and his blond hair often tickled his chin. The small dip in Naruto's sides felt nice whenever he brushed across them with his hands.

His affections were delirious and so much more than they should be. He allowed it all to happen, to indulge and taste his lips and keep the flavor in the very back of his mind and in the forefront of his heart.

To be honest, Minato was a little fearful at how far this could go. The way he felt around Naruto was not something a father should feel. But Naruto didn't really feel like his son. It had been a little more than two years since he was referred to as any term of endearment besides Minato and Mina, if Naruto was feeling particularly playful.

That didn't excuse Minato's feelings, no, he wasn't going to sugar coat them and make excuses. He wasn't going to argue it away or hide behind something, they were there all the time and Minato had never been a man who swam in denial.

It had never been his style.

He knew without a doubt that he was irrevocably in love with Namikaze Naruto and it had nothing to do with being his father.

"You look as though you're drowning, Minato-kun."

Minato gazed over at the open window to see his white-haired former sensei sitting on the sill.

"Jiraiya-sensei," Minato said with a warm smile. "When did you get back from the Waves?"

"Ooh, an hour ago," Jiraiya said grinning, "thought I would check up on my Gakis."

Minato motioned for him to come in. "Close the window Jiraiya-sensei."

"Hm, sounds as if you're having some troubles."

"Yeah, troubles," Minato murmured.

"Where's Naru-chan?"

"Out on a mission."

"And you're all lonely, huh?"

Minato chuckled. "Read me well, huh?"

"Of course, a sensei always knows his student," Jiraiya said plopping down lazily onto the loveseat. He took off his wooden sandals and stretched out. "So, what's going on?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you."

"Try me."

Minato propped his elbow up onto his much neglected paperwork and placed his chin in his palm. He sighed heavily before making a one handed Privacy Jutsu around the room. He then tapped his fingers to the desk thinking of how to start. "Well, how about being the worst father of the century?"

Jiraiya blinked. "What are you talking about Minato-kun?" he asked incredulously.

Minato stilled his hand placing it flat. "I'm in love with Naruto."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up in vague surprise and he stilled for a minute, allowing it to sink in.

Minato grumbled silently and felt the heat on his cheeks. He couldn't believe he had said that aloud.

"The Gaki is a gorgeous little thing," Jiraiya said after a minute.

Minato shook his head. "It's wrong."

"So?"

"I shouldn't be perving on my kid, Jiraiya-sensei."

"Who said?"

"Morale."

"Who gives a damn about morale? I gave it up after I turned ten and saw my first set of breasts."

Minato choked and slapped the side of his cheek at the remark. "That's not the same."

"What does he think of this?"

Minato frowned. "He's the one who made the move first."

"Ooh," Jiraiya said locking his hands behind his head. "How interesting."

"Bizarre more like."

"It's cute."

"_Cute?_" Minato deadpanned.

"Very," Jiraiya said chuckling at the expression. "Come on Minato-kun, I know you like the back of my hand. So what? You are in love with Naruto, sure he is your flesh and blood but it's only moral propaganda that keeps says its wrong."

"It _is_ wrong."

"You're brainwashed."

"No, I'm logical."

"Logic has no place where your feelings are concerned."

"I have discovered that for myself, thanks," Minato grunted, "_dammit_ Jiraiya!" He dropped both hands to his desk and rested his forehead upon them. "_I'm thirty-eight-years-old!_"

"I don't think your heart cares how old you are or how old he is."

"You don't sound surprised."

"Not in the least."

"Why?"

"Perhaps I saw it coming?" Jiraiya admitted. "It's not uncommon, Minato-kun. You and Naruto are so unbelievably close and it has nothing to do with you being of blood. It's natural, you simply click. It happens more than you know, the whole world doesn't have to know your business. I admit it, I'm a self-proclaimed pervert but I'm also a man who has been around the country, I have seen all walks of life coming and going."

"Doesn't it make me a horrible person?"

"Hell no," Jiraiya said, "it would make you horrible if you weren't a loving man. If your heart is based on lust and lust alone, then that might be a problem. But the fact is, you love him. No one could ever love Naruto as much as you do and vice versa. It's not something you plan and yeah it's a shock to the very core of your mind. But does your heart care about that?"

"No, but Jiraiya-sensei, I do desire him," Minato confessed. "If my dreams are anything to go by…"

"You desire him because you love him," Jiraiya interrupted. "And if he made the move first then it's an unspoken mutual agreement between the two of you. There are clans who intermingle all the time."

"Not father and son."

"No, but first cousins. There are even your rare brother and sister, brother and brother, or sister and sister. It doesn't really matter, your heart doesn't care about the ties you share. All it knows is what it wants."

"There's no justifying it."

"Of course not, there never is. But why must you justify something? Why should you make yourself miserable because of the word _wrong_?"

Minato raised his head and stared at his former sensei incredulously. "You're encouraging me."

"Why not?"

Minato blinked repeatedly at him, was he being serious? "Kami-sama, if there's a hell, I'm going there."

Jiraiya chortled. "I'll be beside you, Minato-kun, no worries there," he said and then thought about it. "You know, I believe that being a ninja signs your slip to this proposed hell. Isn't killing a sin?"

"Yes," Minato answered lamely.

"Well, Minato-kun here's my advice to you. Do what your heart and Naruto's heart desires and everyone else be damned."

"I was hoping you'd yell at me."

Jiraiya laughed out loud.

"It would make me feel better," Minato admitted. "Tell me what a horrible man I am and tell me how undeserving I am…"

"Then I would be lying," Jiraiya said amused. "You won't hear any of that from me."

"Hm, are you staying a while?"

"Yup, I heard the Chuunin Exams were being hosted here?" Minato nodded in confirmation. "I'll be part of your guard."

Minato quirked his lip. "Thanks."

"Now, how about we go for some drinks? You can Henge into someone boring and we'll head to our favorite spot."

Minato smiled. "Sounds good, actually, much more pleasant than paperwork," he said staring down at the stacks disdainfully.

Jiraiya beamed. "Then you can introduce me to that cutie of a secretary of yours!"

Minato rolled his eyes. "She's Naruto's age."

"She's adorable!"

"And I thought I was bad."

Minato felt a little relief, if there was one person in this world that could cheer him up besides Naruto, it was Jiraiya. "Let's drop by the house so I can change out of this," he said staring down at the white sleeveless cloak with red flames. "I'm too well known wearing it."

"You know you could always Henge into a girl and hang on my arm. Your son makes a beautiful lass, I'm sure you would too."

Minato glared at him and this induced the Sannin's laugh. "Let's not go there old man."

* * *

I decided to add this chapter in the same day as the last to make up for the ridiculously long wait. 09 was terrible. :P If I had known how bad it would have gotten, I never would have started posting my stuff. Hope you enjoy the story and thanks for the reviews, you're very kind!


	5. Chapter Five

_**Chapter Five**_

"We still don't have any clue as to who the Kage is," Kurenai said after they turned over their findings to the Yondaime.

"But the smell, it's of snakes and medicine," Kiba said factually. Akamaru barked in confirmation.

"The guards chakra levels are strange," Hinata piped in and blushed when all eyes were on her. "Normal chakra mixed with a green and even orange type, as though they had been experimented on."

"We don't know that for certain, Hinata-san," Kurenai admonished only to get Minato to raise his hand to stop her as Hinata's blush deepened.

"No, I want to hear this, what she thinks. Hinata-san?"

"Well, N- Naruto-kun has dark red chakra mixed in, right? I- it's like someone has put something in them to give them different kinds of chakra."

"Hm," Minato said as Kurenai glared a bit at Hinata who ducked her head. "Kurenai-san please reframe from limiting your team from speaking their minds."

"Yondaime-sama?"

"Their minds and ideas are very important to me, whatever is on their mind I want to hear it for myself."

"But they're not factual, it's all hypothetical guesses."

"Which I still want to have knowledge of. I want to know what they think, whether there is evidence or not. I need to know," he said gently. "Keep in mind that a hypothetical guess could prove to be the biggest fact that I could gather and the safer that Konoha can remain while under my watch."

"Apologies, Yondaime-sama," Kurenai said bowing her head in shame.

"It's fine, Hinata-san?"

"U- uh well, I know if a person possesses a bloodline limit they have a dark blue glow in their chakra nervous system but they look tainted, not right."

"Sounds like experimentation," Minato said at once.

Shino decided to put in his findings. "My bugs overheard conversations, they are coming to Konoha for the Chuunin Exams. There will only be three of them and their sensei. I have heard no word on who the sensei was or the name of their Kage, apparently they only use that term which brings me to believe that speaking his name in the air is forbidden."

"Which becomes even more foreboding for us," Minato deduced trying not to sound grim.

They were interrupted by a brisk knock on the door and then it opened before anyone could call them in. Kakashi was standing there with his arms around a faint Naruto who was clutching his head in pain.

"_Naruto!_" Minato was up, eyes wide as Naruto attempted to straighten. "What happened?" He looked to Kakashi demanding an explanation.

"His Kage Bunshin disappeared. You know what happens when a Kage Bunshin survives longer than two weeks and then poofs away suddenly?"

Minato winced. "Yes, I had forgotten all about that draw back. Most people can't keep a Kage Bunshin alive longer than twenty four hours." He had to stop thinking his son was invincible because he had the devil locked inside.

He took Naruto from Kakashi's arms. The teen moaned and snuggled up close. "I'm – fine," he said with a wince as Hinata bounced up from the loveseat. Shino also got up and Minato placed Naruto down and brushed his hands over the boy's reddened cheeks. "Head hurts, but I'm okay."

"Gaki, you aren't okay," Minato chastised. "You should have told it to disappear after a week. I don't know what I was thinking." How foolish had he been? Nothing was worth seeing Naruto in pain like this.

Naruto smiled. "It's fine. I got some other names for you if you want?"

"When you're feeling better."

"Nah, it's okay. Uh…" he stared back at the man with a wince. "First, Kimimaro, the lone survivor of the Kaguya Clan and the only one to possess their bloodline. Then there's Kabuto's Team Members, Akado Yoroi and Tsurugi Misumi."

Kakashi and Kurenai both started, Kurenai gasped. "But they're Leaf Ninja!"

Naruto shrugged. "Those are the names I discovered. I also got Dosu's team members; Tsuchi Kin and Abumi Zaku." He was resting his head against Minato's chest, feeling a ringing sting behind his ears and a burning explosive sensation behind his eyelids. He shut them tight and grimaced. "Painful."

"Is he alright?" Hinata asked in concern.

Akamaru was sniffing him out in worry while Kiba and Shino observed him.

"I'm fine," Naruto said.

"No you're not," Minato admonished as he grabbed a cushion and shifted Naruto until he was lying down on his side. "Sleep, Naruto."

"Shall I ask Sai to do some digging?" Kakashi asked staring at his student/best friend with a rare expression of concern.

"Yes, please," Minato said with a nod. He remained sitting at Naruto's head, his hand resting on the teen's shoulder.

After he dismissed all the teams, Minato sat by Naruto while he slept and stroked the boy's forehead gently. He ignored any and all meetings that were requested and by the time Naruto came back around it was well into the late evening.

"Welcome back to me," Minato said leaning down to gently kiss Naruto.

Naruto smiled at being greeted this way and slowly sat up with the help of Minato. "I'm sorry, Minato."

"Hush," Minato chastised brushing his thumb along Naruto's lips to get his point across. "It was my fault, I should have told you to vanquish your clone."

Naruto waved his hand. "I wouldn't have listened."

Minato snorted. "Yeah, I somehow believe that."

"I was just tired and a headache, it was way too much information all at once and from so far."

"Don't do that again, okay?"

Naruto didn't agree to that but he did kiss Minato on the side of the mouth in response. Minato grinned as if he could sense what Naruto was thinking and looped his arm around the boy's waist drawing him closer.

"I'm sure you're hungry," Minato said enjoying the warmth against his chest.

Naruto nodded. "Very, I was on my way to Ichiraku's when all this happened."

"Well then, shall we?"

Naruto almost pouted at the thought of leaving the comfort of Minato and raised his head and instinctively nuzzled Minato's chin with his forehead. "Hm."

Minato smiled endearingly and cupped Naruto's cheek, all of his emotions circled around him and having Naruto so close with his lithe body against his heightened those emotions. "Afterwards we can go home and relax," Minato suggested.

Naruto smiled wanly before slowly extracting himself from Minato's hold. As soon as he stood, gravity seemed to wrap it's invisible arms around his legs and pull him down only for Minato to catch him.

"Blood loss," Naruto murmured sheepishly and got a soft chuckle and a kiss to the cheek.

"I'm glad you're okay," Minato said squeezing him.

"I'm always okay," Naruto insisted and poked him childishly in the chin. "Let's go Yondaime-sama, I'm hungry and it'll take an hour just to walk four blocks."

Minato groaned, thinking about the trek through Konoha.

By the time they reached the house, Naruto had rolled his eyes so many times he thought they would get stuck.

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "More than usual, huh?"

"No shit," Naruto grumbled kicking off his sandals and hobbled a bit as he sent one flying and it almost hit a vase. "Well, least they love you and not hate you," he hummed.

"That would be bad," Minato said with a thoughtful smile.

Naruto nodded and collapsed on the couch with a huff. "I'm tired," he whined.

"You're still not fully recovered from your overuse of Kage Bunshin," Minato said meeting Naruto on the couch.

The teen immediately rallied for his lap, placing his head against Minato's thigh. "Hm, hm, rub my head."

"Yes, Master, anything else?" Minato asked as he began to card his fingers through Naruto's hair.

"Plenty but I'll wait for later on that," Naruto murmured.

Chuckling, Minato ran his hand down Naruto's back and up his arms back to his wild hair.

"Hm, that's good to."

"You're so cute, Naruto," Minato said fondly pushing the hair out of the way and bending down to kiss him once more on the cheek. "By the way, Jiraiya-sensei is in town."

Naruto perked and shifted until he was on his back and looking up at Minato. "Pervy Sage? What's he up too?"

"Research," Minato said dryly.

Naruto once again rolled his eyes. "Figures."

"How was the Mission? You guys never did update me."

"We were going to after Ichiraku's. I was starving to death and then all this happened," he said grouchily. "It went well, nothing we couldn't really handle. Kakashi-sensei has the report in more detail than me."

"Obviously, you leave everything out," Minato said poking Naruto in the nose.

Naruto twitched it. "I go in, do it, and get back out. I don't pay attention to miniscule details."

"Yes but you also do unpredictable things that I need to know about, you are the most unpredictable person, I've ever met."

"Good or bad?"

"All good, of course," Minato said affectionately. "But still, I need someone to give me what you leave out."

Naruto snickered at that, his heart thrummed with layers of warmth and a need to pull Minato closer. He sighed and shifted onto his sigh burying his face into the man's toned stomach.

Minato merely held him close and refused to let him go. He knew that they needed to talk about this and about what was going on with the both of them, but everything was so comfortable, so nice, and Minato didn't want to lose it with uncomfortable questioning.

Questions that they both silently knew the answers too but had yet to be stated in the open air and revealed personally to one another.

Minato was still confused, and still felt ashamed, but every time he looked at Naruto that shame would dissolve and it was replaced by nothing else but everything that Naruto was.

oOo

Naruto sighed sleepily and turned on his side instinctively drawing the covers up over his head as the light of the morning shined through the vivid orange curtains stained with black ends. He didn't want to get up, his body complained but his body was so used to early rising that everything on him was waking.

He heard a soft chuckle and the presence of Minato standing over his bed. "Morning, my Naruto, are you waking any time today?"

Naruto moaned and drew his legs up into a fetal position. "Nnn."

The bed creaked and the covers were snatched away by Minato who was already dressed for the day. Naruto grumbled and cracked one eye to see the man's handsome face peering down at him.

"Bed comfy."

"I'm sure it is," Minato said bouncing with his knees playfully. "But the Chuunin Exam instructors and examiners have a meeting in an hour, and don't you have to meet the Kazekage at the gates?" he asked bending down to kiss Naruto on the chin.

"Hm'k," Naruto got out as he rubbed his eyes and shifted onto his back.

Minato sighed and brushed his fingers against Naruto's cheek. "To be honest Naruto, I don't know what I'm doing sometimes," he confessed quietly.

Naruto propped himself up on his elbows and answered Minato's confession with a tender kiss to the lips.

Minato responded back kissing him just a little deeper and sliding his hand around Naruto's neck and pulling him closer.

Naruto melted right into the man's arms as the control of the kiss was taken away from him and he resisted the elicit moan that threatened to break through to the air. It was like nothing Naruto had ever felt before and nibbled Minato's bottom lip savoring the taste.

When at last they parted, Minato smiled slightly. "But you don't really care, do you?"

Naruto chuckled quietly and kissed him on the cheek. "There's much I care about but that's not one of them."

Minato laughed and squeezed Naruto. "Ah, my Naruto, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," he whispered and got an extra kiss for his words.

When Naruto and Minato finally separated, Naruto quickly showered and donned on his Chuunin shinobi outfit with the exception of the vest being orange in color which matching hand and feet guards. The cloak he added was similar to his father's except it was black with orange flames riding up the edges.

He strapped his shuriken pouch to his thigh and waist and added a few sets of stars that were his favorite to throw. He pulled his hair back low as Minato brushed through the large bathroom, he placed a hand on Naruto's lower back and leaned around him for the belt he forgot.

After a quick breakfast the two used the rooftops to move through the city without being stopped along the way. If one looked up they'd see two identical yellow flashes. The two of them landed on top of the Hokage Tower.

Minato took the Protection Jutsu down and the two of them climbed in gracefully.

"Ah, much easier this way."

Naruto laughed and stole the man's chair with a huff. "I thought someone caught us there for a moment."

Minato flashed him a smile as he unlocked the door and opened to see Ino just taking her seat. "Yamanaka-san please let everyone know I've arrived."

Ino gasped when she saw him. "Oh! Of course Yondaime-sama," she said flashing him a brilliant smile. "I didn't see you come in."

"No one did, would you kindly prepare some coffee, tea, and snacks for the examiners and instructors?"

She bobbed her head obediently as he said a quick thanks and closed the door. Naruto was trifling through some of the evil paperwork.

"Did you know Demon Country is asking for a loan?"

Minato nodded. "They are asking for two hundred thousand ryo."

Naruto held up the paper. "It says here it will be paid back in full within the next three years with an interest of twenty thousand per year."

"I don't think we should take that chance, they may be planning something and Sunagakure would be furious if they knew we were helping their enemy."

Naruto chewed his lip in thought. "What about half? I can talk to Gaara-kun for us. Demon Country is huge, it may become something big one day and we don't want them as future enemies."

Minato stepped around Naruto and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Think it is wise? The council won't like it."

"The council doesn't like anything," Naruto said dryly.

"True."

"There might be something in it for us in the long run."

A tap on the door interrupted their conversation, Minato gazed up. "Enter."

Ino came in with a tray and behind her was Ibiki, Anko, Genma, Shikamaru, and Kurenai.

"Kakashi-kun late again I see?" Minato said with a slight smile.

"As usual," Kurenai answered as she took a seat on the loveseat. Anko sat next to her and Shikamaru winked at Naruto before standing against the wall. Ibiki took the chair in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Playing Hokage for the day, kiddo?" Ibiki teased.

"Nope, just being nosy," Naruto said flinging a nonsense paper toward the trash at Minato's vague nod. "I feel sorry for Minato half the time."

Ibiki, Genma, and Shikamaru laughed.

"Haha." Minato tugged on his hair.

"Gekko will be around soon," Genma said popping a senbon needle into his mouth while taking a cup of coffee.

"We've received word that the Kazekage will arrive at noon," Kurenai said crossing a leg and taking the offered coffee from Genma.

Minato nodded. "Naruto is meeting him at the gates, he'll be staying with us until the exams are over."

There was a flash from the window sill and Kakashi appeared with his hand in the air. "Yo!"

"Kakashi-kun, thank you for joining us," Minato said smirking.

"Thank you for having me! I got lost on the road to hell today."

Naruto snickered. "Was it hot?"

"You have no idea," Kakashi said wiping his brow. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing yet, we were talking about the Kazekage which Naruto will meet in a bit," Minato said as Naruto continued to weed through his paperwork with a wrinkle of his nose. He trusted his son when he tossed them away.

"You really don't wanna know," Naruto said straight faced as he crumpled up a paper rather irritably.

"Are you sure it's not important?" Kurenai asked sharply. "You shouldn't throw those away."

Naruto eyed her. "I don't think Minato wants to read anything to do with being offered a twelve-year-old female as a spouse from Bird Country."

Minato's eyes widened in horror and Kurenai goggled while Anko snorted. "The younger the better."

Kakashi chortled. "How much worse can that get?"

"Oooh, it can," Naruto said darkly and stared at the trash can. "A fifteen-year-old girl from Tea Country claims her unborn child is his or the Mist civilian who insists that he is really a Namikaze having been disowned."

"Where do they get those claims from?" Kurenai asked.

"From their asses," Naruto answered before anyone else can causing everyone to laugh but her.

Minato chose not to correct Naruto for his language because he was right. Gekko showed up a few moments later and the meeting began but it wasn't anything Naruto didn't expect.

"I'm not going through a window," Naruto said shortly tossing another message away carelessly. "I have been working on a new shunshin Jutsu, I'll use that."

"Just don't use your Sexy Jutsu," Minato said trying to keep a straight face.

Naruto looked up at him innocently. "Why not? It'd get everyone's attention."

"I'm sure it would but we don't need that kind of attention," Minato said affectionately.

"Ah, well, luckily that wasn't what I was going to do."

Minato had a bag of Heaven and Earth Scrolls. "Naruto, I need you to distribute these. One to each group."

Naruto nodded absently while signing Minato's name perfectly and handing it back to him to check over.

There was talk over preliminaries and then the final matches. "I believe we'll have quite a variety this year; Mist, Grass, Stone, Rain, Wind, Water, and Sound. Not to mention there are quite a few of our own. There hasn't been this many of our own since the original Rookie 9," Minato said with a bit of pride. "We have three repeats and the other six are new Genin."

"Who will be placed as your guard?" Anko asked.

"The duo Sannin: Tsunade-chan and Jiraiya-sensei will take place as my guard along with Uchiha Itachi. I don't believe I need any more than that."

They went over the smallest of details before Ibiki stood and checked his watch. "I believe I should head to the Examination Tower," he said casually. "Got a fresh batch to frighten to death."

"Have fun," Naruto called as Ibiki flashed him a smirk.

"Oh, Naruto-kun, I shall." He disappeared in a puff.

Everyone slowly began to leave, Kakashi being the last as he winked at Naruto and inclined his head. "See you soon!"

Once they were alone, Minato shifted to lean against his desk as Naruto handed him a stack that he couldn't make the right decisions on. "There, most of your paperwork is done."

Minato beamed. "Why thank you Naruto, what do you get out of this?" he asked with playful suspicion.

Naruto chuckled and leaned back and stretched with a yawn. "Oooh, nothing really."

"That doesn't sound convincing."

"I'll think about it later," Naruto said standing and shifting his back till it cracked a bit. "Now, I have to go see Gaara-kun and his siblings."

Minato nodded and placed the stack behind him. "See you soon."

Naruto leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before pecking his lips and disappearing in a flash of yellow.

"Now that was one gorgeous scene," Jiraiya said with a soft sigh.

Minato rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder at the man who suddenly appeared and was stretched out on his loveseat. "When did you get here, pervert?" he asked sinking down into the warmed chair and lounging a bit.

"Oh, exactly, ten seconds ago," Jiraiya said beaming. "You and Naru-Gaki seem to be doing good."

Minato shrugged. "No justifying it."

"I told you already, stop trying to justify everything Yondaime-kun," Jiraiya said with a snort. "It gets you nowhere but to hell and you can't get back again."

"I think Kakashi-kun could tell you all about hell, apparently he got stuck there."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sounds like him."

"Anyway, I can't say no."

"Why?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato inclined his head in thought. "Several reasons. For one, I want it but another so does he and I don't ever want to be the reason for a frown to appear on his face. I couldn't bare the idea of pushing Naruto away for something like this. It is what it is."

Jiraiya beamed. "That's my Minato-kun!"

Minato rolled his eyes as he smiled. "Yeah, yeah."

_**(o)**_

Naruto resisted a smirk when he flickered into the exam room and with his entrance came a flash of brilliant yellow light that swallowed the place hole before ceasing and when it did they all saw Naruto sitting cross legged on Ibiki's desk with a sideways smile.

"Naruto-nii-san!" Konohamaru waved from the back as Sakura frowned at him.

Others in the room simply goggled as Naruto smirked and waved back.

"Hm," Naruto said scanning the room. "Sixty six began the test and it seems here that thirty are left am I right Ibiki-san?"

"Perfectly right Naruto-kun," Ibiki said with a smirk.

Naruto nodded. "I see, looks like I'm going to have to finish where you left off… the names Namikaze Naruto for those of you who do not know."

"The Yondaime's son?" asked a Grass Nin in surprise.

"Right in one," Naruto said grinning. "Now, let's get on with the second exam rules shall we? Slice the lot of you in half if I can manage it." He glanced once at Kabuto and his team, recognizing each one for who they were and quickly let his eyes play across the room, pausing on Hyuuga Hanabi, Konohamaru, and Sakura.

Naruto noticed that she was sulking and he wondered why?

He hopped off the desk and told them to meet at the area grounds forty-four tomorrow morning at nine and with another flash but this one was bright orange in flame he was gone leaving half of the ninja in the room to _ooh_ and _awe_.

Naruto felt a rush of adrenaline as he appeared just inside Minato's office with a flash of bright yellow.

Minato blinked a few times trying to get the black spots out of his eyes and chuckled when he saw Naruto sitting on the edge of his desk like he belonged.

"Very nice theatrics, my Naruto," Minato applauded when there was a whistle from behind causing Naruto to stretch his neck a bit to see Jiraiya stretched out on a loveseat and a wide smile across his face.

"Pervy Sage!" Naruto cheered.

"Gaki!"

"When I leave it goes orange. I did my job, now it's up to them to get there in the morning."

"Tomorrow Tsunade-chan will be here," Minato said.

"I haven't seen Tsunade in a while I wonder how much money she's lost?" Jiraiya hummed.

"I'd hate to ask," Naruto hummed as Jiraiya bobbed his head.

"Yeah, it's a good idea not to dig that up, she'd rip me a new one."

Naruto and Minato snickered in unison at the look on Jiraiya's face.

Minato looked over at Naruto, taking him in as he always did. "What are you doing?"

"Coming to annoy you," he said cheekily.

"Hm, you're not doing a good job of it," Minato teased.

"I will later, I'm kind of tired. It's hard keeping up with Gaara's non-existent sleeping patterns."

Minato frowned as he remembered their guest. "I wonder, would Gaara-kun mind if I took a look at his seal? It shouldn't cause him to suffer sleepless nights like that."

"I can ask, I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Naruto said with a light smile.

There was a snore on the other side of the room and when the two blond's glanced over they saw Jiraiya fast asleep and his mouth hanging open.

"I think he's getting on in the years," Minato hummed quietly.

"No kidding, falling out like that? I didn't think we were that boring," Naruto pouted.

"I don't think it has anything to do with boredom Naruto, he's just old."

"So that's why he needs to peep in at women at the hot springs? To keep his youth up."

Minato wrinkled his nose. "You just said something I didn't want to think about Naruto."

Naruto blinked and thought back on his words before chuckling softly. "Oh, yeah… sorry," he squeaked sheepishly.

Glaring playfully, Minato scowled. "You should make it up to me for giving me such a horrifying mental image."

Knowing Jiraiya was asleep, gave Naruto an irresistible idea. He leaned forward and wordlessly captured Minato's lips in a soft supple open mouthed kiss.

A coiling thread of heat wound its way through the both of them as Minato reacted back by slipping one arm around Naruto's slim waist and cupping his cheek and neck affectionately.

Naruto tilted his head to the side, so that he could get a better feel of the man's lips, the soft little ridges along his mouth rubbed smoothly into his.

The 'not-so-asleep' pervert on the couch was still 'snoring' with one eye cracked open.

Reluctantly, Minato pulled back after a little nip on Naruto's bottom lip. "What if we get caught?"

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "We've been caught from the beginning. He's not asleep."

Strangely enough, Minato didn't feel so embarrassed or nervous, he mere gazed over at his sensei who was still pretending to be asleep until he picked up one of his paper weights and chucked it at the old man lying on the couch. It landed on his stomach getting an 'oomph.'

"Ow!" Jiraiya whined as he opened his eyes suddenly. "What was that for?"

"You perverted eavesdropper!"

"That's not fair! You're cute!"

Naruto stuck out his tongue and Minato's eyes flickered onto it, briefly, the idea of biting it had come to his mind and he almost slapped himself childishly in the forehead for such a thought.

"You're a pervert," Minato decided to say while trying to calm his raging thoughts that were heading into the gutter.

"No more than you," Jiraiya chirped wiggling his eyebrows. "You did that right in front of me!" He picked up the paperweight and tossed it in the air. "And what would have happened if this hit my crotch?"

"We would have laughed," Minato and Naruto answered simultaneously causing Jiraiya to pout as the blond's started snickering together.

"So mean!"

Minato turned his attention to Naruto then. "What made you do that in front of Jiraiya-sensei?" he asked curiously.

"I figure you talk to him like I talk to Kakashi."

Minato's eyes widened at that. He hadn't expected that answer. "Kakashi-kun knows?"

Naruto looked away briefly. "He's always known, Minato. He's my best friend, even better than Sasuke. He's to me what Jiraiya-sensei is to you."

Jiraiya beamed. "I'm so touched!"

So, Minato never had a reason to be upset with Kakashi? He thought feeling a thread of relief. All those times that Naruto had stayed out late with Kakashi when they weren't on a mission, it was never anything more than friendship.

"That's nice to know," Minato admitted.

Naruto leaned closer and pressed his nose to the older man's. "Was someone jealous?"

Minato scowled. "I don't get jealous."

"Liar," Naruto and Jiraiya accused at the same time.

"Hey! Don't gang up on me!" Minato grouched.

"You asked for it," Naruto said poking him in the cheek.

Minato tilted his head to the side. "So I did."

* * *

A/N: There you go. I hope you don't think they're going too awful slow. I wanted to pace this considering the nature of their relationship. I didn't want it to be all out smut, sex, lust type of story even though there will be enough of that soon :P. I really wanted to ground their relationship. =) Hope you enjoy this!


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